


Four Times Jack Tried To Say I Love You, And One Time He Did

by Samille



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-20 22:58:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6028612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samille/pseuds/Samille
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Exactly what the title suggests. :) Tooth rotting stuff</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four Times Jack Tried To Say I Love You, And One Time He Did

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eripotter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eripotter/gifts).



> I did this last minute so I didn't have it Beta'd so I'm really sorry for any errors!! I barely even did a read-through! Please be nice!  
> (Edit: Been fixed up a little.)

Annie’s   
It was a late February evening and Jack had taken Bittle out for coffee at Annie’s around six o’clock, but they ended up staying until eight because Bittle was going on and on about his mom’s friends, his pies, his skating, his everything. Jack didn’t really mind, though. In fact, he really liked it, he realized about midway through. When Bittle talked, he never really braked which would force Jack to talk to fill the silence. Not that he didn’t let Jack talk when he wanted, and he did ask Jack questions every now and then, but Jack never felt obligated to talk and he loved that. 

“Oh gosh,” Bittle said, pulling Jack out of his thoughts. “I’m rambling again I’m so sorry, Jack.” He looked so embarrassed and his blush was red at the tips of his ears. Jack couldn’t help the laugh that ripped from his chest and Bitty’s eyes widened in horror.

“No, Bittle you’re fine. Finish the story.” Bittle smiled shyly and look down.

“Holy cow!” He jumped a little, causing the table to jump with him. “It’s already eight! I have a paper to write and you have reading, I’m so sorry I must have lost track of time!” 

“It’s ok, Bittle.” Jack reached out and put a hand on his. “We’ll be fine, we can head back now if you want.” But Bitty didn’t respond right away, he was too busy staring at Jack’s hand over his. It felt so nice, almost like they were holding hands in their own cozy little nook of the cafe. Jack thought about it for a moment, and was building up the courage to tighten his grip to make it feel more real, when the barista popped up.

“Hey, um I’m sorry but we’re closing and we really need you guys to clear out.” And then everything snapped and Jack pulled his hand away like he had been burned. 

 

2\. Playoff Prep  
February faded quickly into March and as playoffs approached, practices got more and more intense. The hours got longer, the conditioning got harder, and the stress got stronger. Jack watched every teammate with the eyes of a hawk, making sure everyone was eating right, sleeping well, and not doing anything that could get them arrested and kicked off the team.

If he kept a closer eye on Bittle than his other teammates, well no one really needed to know. He would catch himself thinking about Bittle’s waistline and tell himself he wanted to make sure he was well fed. He caught himself thinking about Bittle’s hands, and told himself he just wanted to make sure he didn’t have any rough calluses that would interfere with his gloves. He caught himself thinking about Bittle’s mouth and- well, he wasn’t sure what to tell himself then. 

One day towards the middle of March, the team had a particularly difficult practice, especially Bittle. Coach had set up two teams out of the boys and told them to make their own plays so they could work on play-making skills on the fly. Holster had slammed Bittle on open ice directly following a faceoff by mistake after miscalculating where he would be.

“Hey! Hey!” Coach yelled. “You’re on Bittle’s damn team, what the hell are you doing, Birkholtz?” 

Bitty had gotten up and skated to the bench, but Jack could see in his eyes that he wasn’t doing ok. 

Later that night, after Holster had apologized a thousand times, and Bitty had told him it was ok a thousand more times, Jack decided to stop by his room to make sure he was really alright. 

The door was a crack open but Jack knocked anyways. 

“Shitty, I really don’t need any more hugs, I appreciate it but I just wanna sleep.” He sounded tired and it made Jack feel kind of bad for bothering him, but he was his captain and he had to check on him.

“It’s not Shitty.” He said, opening the door wide enough for him to step just over the threshold. The main lights were off but his fairy lights cast a glow over the room. Jack looked to the right and saw Bittle curled up under his blankets, rolling over to face him.

“Jack?” He asked. “What are you doing here?” 

“I just wanted to check on you and make sure you’re doing alright after that big hit.” Bitty closed his eyes and suddenly Jack felt every good feeling that the world had to offer all at once. All he could see was Bitty, wearing his boxers and a Samwell Men’s Hockey hoodie, swaddled in blankets, with his eyes closed as though he was fast asleep with his light blond lashes resting on his cheeks. He could just crawl into the bed behind him, pull the blankets up around him too and go to sleep.

“I’m fine, Jack.” He said, keeping his eyes closed. “The doctors already told you that there’s nothing wrong with me.” He let out a little breath and Jack felt it in his stomach.

“That’s not what I meant, Bittle.” He said it softly, like he did when he spoke to his little cousin. “You got pretty shaken up out there, you did a good job of holding it together then but…” He trailed off. He didn’t want to make Bittle talk about it if he didn’t want to. His therapist had told him that sometimes asking people to talk about a scary or sad event can make things worse.

“I’m ok.” Bittle whispered. “I just- I didn’t mean to make everyone worry. I didn’t like it for sure but I just need sleep and I’ll be fine to go again tomorrow.” Jack studied him for a moment and noticed the ears of his stuffed bunny sticking out over the top of his comforter. God, Bitty was the most adorable person he’d ever met.

“Bittle you’re-“ He started.

“WHO’S READY FOR HUGS?” Shitty burst through the door, letting light from the hallway come pouring in and jumped, landing right on top of Bitty in a star shape, covering him, and taking him away from Jack. He slipped out and went back to his room. He might have held his pillow in his arms that night as if it were a smaller person, but nobody needed to know.

 

3\. The Loading Dock  
The canon fired and blue and white confetti rained down on him. The other team was just one huge mass of bodies against the boards. It was over. They lost.   
Jack saw his teammates shuttle themselves towards their locker room, but he couldn’t bare to go back with them. If only he had been a better captain…

He headed in the opposite direction, feeling tears stinging his eyes, and praying he got somewhere alone before they fell free. He saw the sign for the loading dock and headed that way as quickly as he could. As soon as he was out of sight of anyone, he tore his jersey off. He didn’t deserve to wear the C on his sweater tonight.

He sat down and put his head in his hands as the tears started to fall. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. They were supposed to win, the reporters were supposed to have a story out the next morning about how hockey prodigy, Jack Zimmermann, was NHL ready now. His team was supposed to cheer and cry happy tears, but now he’d let them all down. Shitty, Ransom, Holster, Chowder, Bittle.

God, Bittle.

He was supposed to be so happy, looking up at Jack with bright eyes and a huge smile. And Jack would tell him that night that he really loved that smile and he would kiss him and hold him and- fuck everything is all wrong. 

Suddenly he heard the sound of small footsteps by the entryway and he turned quickly to see who it was. And there was Bittle, standing in the light with his hair lit up like the angel he was. He had to tell him how much he loved him, but when he tried, only sobs came out. 

“Shh, it’s ok, Jack.” Bittle said, silencing him as he jogged over to him. He sat down beside him and threw his arms around him. He had to tell him, but how could he, after that? So he just let him hold him. 

 

4\. Graduation  
Commencement day started with a whirlwind of people coming in and out of his room before he was even dressed. His maman, papa, and his aunt and cousin all came in to give him hugs and kisses, followed by Shitty and his sister who were arguing over what length Shitty’s hair should be exactly. When he had dressed and made it down the stairs, his maman insisted on pictures of him in his robes with his teammates. 

When they were all lined up for the picture, Bittle had managed to get right beside him with his hip pressing against Jack’s upper thigh. They posed, and Jack’s left arm was draped across Shitty’s shoulders, but his right hand rested at the small of Bitty’s back and he felt Eric shiver slightly. He told himself it was because they were standing beneath the air vent. 

When they made their way to the large outdoor stage, Jack’s cousin, Lucy, insisted on sitting next to Bitty, whom she had already formed a deep love for. Jack couldn’t help but think it must run in the family. When he walked across the stage, he caught a glimpse of her in Bitty’s lap, both of them cheering and clapping as loudly as they could. His heart swelled and he blushed before reaching out for his rolled up paper. 

When he walked out to his family and friends, he made a beeline for Bittle who was holding Lucy on his hip even though she was six years old and tall. He pulled them both to him into a hug anyways and held them there until Lucy squirmed out of Bittle’s arms and onto the ground.

“Mommy, look they’re in love.” She said, pulling on her mom’s sleeve. Bittle started at that, Jack stepped away, and his maman laughed. 

“I’m sorry.” Bittle muttered. “I didn’t mean to hug you for so long.”

“Bitty,” He started, but suddenly his papa was there, clapping his big hand on his shoulder.

“What do you want for dinner, kiddo?” He asked. And then the moment was over. 

 

5\. Jack’s First NHL Game  
Jack’s first NHL game happened to be a home game, to which he invited the group of boys he loved best from the Samwell Men’s Hockey Team. They opted to sit down against the glass rather than in the family box so they could carry their “marry me, Jack Zimmermann” sign and bang their hands against the glass. Jack’s whole body felt like it had a low voltage of electricity buzzing through it as he stepped out for warm-ups. The crowd went absolutely wild when they called his name and he was suddenly aware of just how big the stadium was. He skated passed his old teammates and they shouted profanities at him and pretended to lick the glass. Shitty actually licked the glass. 

The game started, and he almost forgot they were there, until he scored. The horn sounded and he glanced over at them through his teammates arms in their celly. They were acting like they’d never seen a goal before and he felt a surge of pride. 

After the game, the boys were let into the locker room for a few moments before the media scrum began. They all tackled him at the same time and his new teammates laughed at him and shouted little chirps from across the room. 

He looked around at them and felt his smile actually hurting his face. And then Bittle pulled him into a tight hug. He closed his eyes and he breathed him in while pulling him closer. He lifted him a little so his feet weren’t quite on the ground and he let Bitty burry his face in his neck. 

And then, before anyone could stop him, he whispered into his ear. 

“I love you, Bittle. I love you so much.”


End file.
